Todd Bersnoozi wrote:Wow, best game I have seen Ballard play as a Canuck.

Got to agree.. and AV put together a great patchwork team.. No second line really but 2 decent 3rd lines
First line was not effective ( Weise played more 5 on 5 minutes than Danny) but the other 3 played over their heads and Schneider turned in an A+ performance. Hansen turned in another good 2 way game..
Edler played his best game in months .. It turned out to be an exciting game.. 3rd period heroics and flubs made it fun
to watch.. Sill no PP.. time for a change ?

Todd Bersnoozi wrote:Wow, best game I have seen Ballard play as a Canuck.

Got to agree.. and AV put together a great patchwork team.. No second line really but 2 decent 3rd lines
First line was not effective ( Weise played more 5 on 5 minutes than Danny) but the other 3 played over their heads and Schneider turned in an A+ performance. Hansen turned in another good 2 way game..
Edler played his best game in months .. It turned out to be an exciting game.. 3rd period heroics and flubs made it fun
to watch.. Sill no PP.. time for a change ?

No way that is a 5 minute charge by Edler. Yes, a definite 2 minute penalty, he had time to stop up and not hit Smith, but no way is that 5. I think the refs wanted to try and control the game and make sure it didn't escalate into something nasty. But a bad call.

A few missed calls by the linemen as well but both ways.

Good game by almost everyone tonight. Another steal for Cory, but thats what we expect from our number 1.

I too liked Ballard up front. He looked like he was playing relaxed hockey, not afraid to make a mistake and get benched. A surprising win to me, I expected less tonight. 2 in a row, 4 of the last 6. Suddenly the stats don';t look so bad eh.

But we will be in tough against LA and will not get by on these games where we give away one period or more. Here's hoping we can play a good 60 in LA and then take care of the Avs.

Hockey Widow wrote:No way that is a 5 minute charge by Edler. Yes, a definite 2 minute penalty, he had time to stop up and not hit Smith, but no way is that 5. I think the refs wanted to try and control the game and make sure it didn't escalate into something nasty. But a bad call.

A few missed calls by the linemen as well but both ways.

Good game by almost everyone tonight. Another steal for Cory, but thats what we expect from our number 1.

I too liked Ballard up front. He looked like he was playing relaxed hockey, not afraid to make a mistake and get benched. A surprising win to me, I expected less tonight. 2 in a row, 4 of the last 6. Suddenly the stats don';t look so bad eh.

But we will be in tough against LA and will not get by on these games where we give away one period or more. Here's hoping we can play a good 60 in LA and then take care of the Avs.

The refs. might have had visions of Bertuzzi running through their heads. Not that Smith did anything like the Steve Moore hit on Naslund but you have Daniel going off dripping blood and then Edler makes no effort to let up on Smith. Smith whipped his head back dramatically and flung himself to the ice with a pile on top. Refs. probably thought they'd end it right there.

And as for Smith not coming back for the rest of the game......more to do with him tweaking himself earlier. Garrett mentioned him continuously stretching as if something wasn't quite right.

Well as per Bob McKenzie & Kuzma on Twitter, Edler has a phone hearing scheduled with The Sheriff for his hit on Smith.

I don't really get it, but if I try to look at it objectively, i guess you could say the hit was on a vulnerably unsuspecting player, because he did not expect to get hit. I'm sure that's the angle the NHL is pursuing.

The fact of the matter is, if that wasn't on a goalie that was a textbook hit.

Meds wrote:That was absolute bullshit. In no way shape or form was that even remotely close to the definition of charging.

Heh.

Rule 42 - Charging
42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
A minor, major or a major and a game misconduct shall be imposed on a player who charges a goalkeeper while the goalkeeper is within his goal crease.
A goalkeeper is not “fair game” just because he is outside the goal crease area. The appropriate penalty should be assessed in every case where an opposing player makes unnecessary contact with a goalkeeper. However, incidental contact, at the discretion of the Referee, will be permitted when the goalkeeper is in the act of playing the puck outside his goal crease provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.

I've bolded pretty much the only way hitting a goaltender playing the puck outside of his crease is not exactly "the definition of charging."

You may not like it, and I'd certainly agree it wasn't a 5, but it was charging unless you think that Edler had absolutely zero opportunity to stop or slow down.

That being said of the goalies in this league I don't mind getting run Smith is high on the list, and for a cheap prick in goaltenders equipment there's a pretty clear opportunity to basically throw a pick behind your net and at worst obstruct the opponent.. at best draw a penalty.

The fact that Edler is even getting a phone call is complete crap. All we should hear is "we agree with the call on the ice and no further action will be taken on Alex Edler."

Smith should be getting a phone call for punching Edler in the back of the head with his blocker and horse collaring him!

Rule 51 - Roughing

51.3 Match Penalty - If, in the judgment of the Referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to or to deliberately injure an opponent, a match penalty must be assessed.

A very good effort for the first 40 minutes, and managed to hang on in the third.

Nice to see Schroeder score a goal. He has looked better since getting recalled. Raymond-Schroeder-Hansen was easily our best line. These three have been about the only bright spot so far this season.

Ballard did not look out of place as a forward. Put up a few good scoring chances, worked hard and the forecheck and his skating realy shone as a forward.

Schneider had a great game in net. Really kept us in there. We need one of the two goaltenders to step up, and it looks like Cory has.

The Edler hit on Smith was stupid. He had time to stop, but decided not to. I don't agree with the rule regarding contacting wandering goaltenders, but it is the rule and it was a charge. Hopefully he does not get suspended, as we need all of the warm bodies we can get.

The boys are in tough, but if they continue to outwork the opposition, at least they'll have the first step down.

Saturday would really be a great time for the PP to break through. At this point, I'd put the Schroeder line out as the first unit with Garrison and Bieksa.